| Title | : | What Unites Us: The Graphic Novel |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 125023994X |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250239945 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 |
| Publication | : | First published February 16, 2021 |
Brought to life in stunning color by artist Tim Foley, What Unites Us: The Graphic Novel takes apart the building blocks of this country, from the freedoms that define us, to the values that have transformed us, to the institutions that sustain us. Rather's vast experience and his unique perspective as one of America's most renowned newscasters shed light on who we were and who we are today, allowing us to see a possible future, where we are one country; united.
What Unites Us: The Graphic Novel Reviews
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Dan Rather dons his I'm-a-journalist-dammit trench coat and trudges through his lifetime of American history, sharing ever-so-folksy stories of his poor childhood, name dropping famous people he has interviewed, and lecturing on his opinions about what's right and wrong with America. He waffles and sidesteps a bit, but he's generally pushing a progressive and liberal agenda and a call for civic responsibility that I can get behind.
But the problem is that he is Dan Rather.
I didn't pick this up because of his name -- I was more inclined to tune in Tom Brokaw or Peter Jennings back in the olden days when I actually watched evening news broadcasts -- I only grabbed it from the library because it is part of the intriguing World Citizen Comics series, and it is my least favorite of the three published so far. Rather wants to give off this wizened sage vibe, but in thinking of his relevance and plodding through his less-than-fresh political insights and regrets about homophobia -- "Those were the times in which we were living, and we were not sensitive." (emphasis his) -- all I can think are the wise words of another sage: "Yeah, it's like a cow's opinion. It just doesn't matter. It's moo." -
This is written through a very specific lens, that of a white male reporter who grew up poor in in the 1930’s US. So with that in mind, this is a hopeful but realistic book. Rather tries to acknowledge all the gaps in his cultural knowledge (on race, sexual orientation, gender, etc) but there are still a few moments that hit weird. Especially in a post-Trump year in the midst of a pandemic and surging white supremacy and anti-science activism.
My takeaway is that we need to increase our civil engagement on all levels and reclaim patriotism not as nationalism but as a spirit of community and work to improve things for everyone within our country. The so-called United States has never lived up to its founding ideals, but his definition of patriotism can get us closer. Asking questions, challenging power, etc.
While I had some hmm moments, I appreciated the reminder that we as citizens (he acknowledges that his definition is different from that of the fed gov’t) can and should play a big role in our communities and the future of our country. Apathy is killing us. -
My third venture into the World Citizen Comics series and this might be my favorite of the bunch. What Unites Us is text heavy and light on solutions, but unlike
Fault Lines in the Constitution and
Unrig, it's an uplifting read that exposes America's ills while also reminding you that maybe we can fix this (because we've done so before and hey, some of us are pretty exceptional).
89-year-old Dan Rather does write What Unites Us in a fairly "back in my day!" voice, but his optimism and anecdotes draw you in. America is broken in many ways - but it's also quite special. Rather waxes poetic around several themes that he considers critical to the American experience: patriotism, freedom, exploration, responsibility, and character. Within these themes, he defines uniquely American qualities/services that he thinks have improved our well-being and should be focused on going forward. Stuff like public libraries, community service, and well-funded public education. It's basically 270 pages of nodding your head in agreement without the ill feeling that comes from being ceaselessly reminded that all Republicans are mustache-twirling villains (I'm looking at you Unrig).
Tim Foley's expressive artwork is the perfect match for Rather's words. What Unites Us is a pleasant, inspiring read that won't necessarily provide you with the framework for affecting change at a large scale, but might make you look for small opportunities to start being a better person for your community. -
This is the fourth book in a series (World Citizens Comics). The previous three were wonderful, this one just OK. The audience for this book are people who believe all the nonsense from the right about what it means to be a patriotic American.
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Read more graphic novel reviews at
The Graphic Library.
Dan Rather's original prose book, What Unites Us, is a collection of essays, musings and observations with lots of autobiographical details, about American history and political climate. This graphic novel adapts many of the essays from the prose version. The historical events are not told in any sort of chronological order. Instead, Rather uses his perspective on key historical moments to illustrate bigger ideologies; things like "courage", or "patriotism." Rather attempts to explain what is special about America, what brings us together as a nation, but also what has worked to separate us, especially partisan bickering and political turmoil.
There is a lot of text in this book. Not having read the original prose book, I'm not entirely sure how much was edited from the original essays, if anything. There may be fewer chapters or ideologies discussed, but this adaptation strives to include much of the original work, and that can be overwhelming at times. The book is also quite long, so this is definitely more suited to readers with some stamina. Rather presents his views in a factual manner, but his left-leaning bias is present in many of the retellings of the past, especially when it comes to Republican lawmakers. The bias is subtle, but important to note. Taking these things into account, this was a fascinating examination of American history from World War II to present. Having limited education on post-Vietnam America, I always appreciate anything that can offer perspective on American History from 1970s-present. Rather was a trusted name in news media for so long, and this gave him access to some of the most important events of our history. His perspective and retelling of American history is interesting and thorough. Rather has some really poignant lessons for us all about what it means to be an American.
The color palette is exclusively red, white, blue, and black, right up until the last two pages, where Rather walks away across an American Flag into a purple "sunset". Instead of clashing as Red and Blue tend to do often, Foley expertly mixes the two in some really beautiful ways.
For the age rating for this title, I have chosen upper high school grades, not because there is any content within the pages that would be too graphic for younger audiences, but that I think the concepts in this book are more elevated and would partner well with a US History or Government class in the ways it discusses American History and the American Experience.
Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 11-12
This review was made possible with an advanced reader copy from the publisher through Net Galley. This graphic novel will be on sale March 9, 2021. -
Dan Rather has a very slightly rosy view of America. This book is an illustrated version of a series of essays he wrote about how he felt about the United States, both drawing from his years as a reporter as well as growing up poor, during the Depression.
It is a very White, Male point of view. It is the party line of American being the best and the brightest. He talks about how wonderful Carnegie was for giving people libraries, without acknowledging how he made his riches by exploiting the working class. He talks about how wonderful the founding fathers were with their checks and balances, without noting how this has all fallen apart with the Republicans and the current (until Jan 20, 2021) occupant of the White House, and how together they have torn apart those self-same checks and balances.
Granted, these essays were first published in 2017, back when we were just learning the horrors of what the Orange Mango in the White House was up to.
So, I won't fault the author for missing those things. But on the other hand, his history of the greatness of the melting pot (or mosaic, as he later refers to it), is that we all pull together. He does acknowledge civil rights, in bits, but in other bits, it is the history we are taught in school, rather than what actually happened.
So, while this might be a good book as an introduction to US civics, as something that someone would casually read, it lacks something. It is a bit too long and drawn out.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. -
While I enjoy and support his message, and I realize this is an adaptation of a book-length text, the graphic novel feels disjointed. I also question who the intended audience is. The narrative is instructive, yet each person and event receives only two to four speech bubbles, resulting in a surface gloss.
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I really enjoyed this book, in fact after checking it out form my local public library and needing to return it before I’d quite finished it, I decided to purchase a copy instead of putting it on hold and waiting for it to come back to me. This is a wonderful book helps frame the issue right now that seem to be heading the US recklessly toward another civil war. Such a confrontation often seems inevitable, but it need not be - if more people could just remember the importance of not what divides us, but instead what it is that unites us. Rather & Kirschner have done a remarkable job of framing this discussion.
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What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism The Graphic Novel covered many values Dan Rather learned and would like to see in America. At times it is a reflection of his life, at others cobvering history from his point or view or the value he is focusing on in that chapter. It seemed at times to get into a rosy view of idealism and forgets to acknowledge his view may not be the same for others- for instance his reminiscing of WWII times and how Americans ALL pulled together for the common good and community negates the way Americans of Japanese decent were left out and segregated from society in camps. It just seemed too idealistic at times.
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A better title for this book would be What Should Unite Us. Many of the issues Mr. Rather discusses are things like respect for others and inclusion of minorities, areas at the heart of our national divide right now. One person’s desire to include those who are different is another person’s “excessive political correctness.” I don’t share the author’s optimism that we have the capacity to correct these societal ills, but he did a good job of presenting his ideas, and the graphic novel edition is well illustrated. I did think it was a little strange to see the trench-coated image of Rather on nearly every page as the narrator/commentator. I wonder if anyone has counted how many times that image appears in this book.
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Dan Rather looks back at his life & career in relationship to the people & activities that unite us as a people. What you as an individual can do to be more engaged, more involved in anything that will help to bring people together in a common goal to improve the present & our future.
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What Unites Us, A Graphic Novel written by Dan Rather, Elliott Kirschner, illustrated by Tim Foley
PUB DATE: March 9, 2021
This is the stunning graphic novel adaptation of "What Unites Us”, is a collection of essays by legendary news anchor Dan Rather. Rather explores what it means to be a true patriot and provides the basic facets that unites us as a country. The graphics are simple yet just perfect to paint the picture of history for readers.
First & foremost, what is patriotism? Don’t confuse it with nationalism. “Patriotism is rooted in humility. Nationalism is rooted in arrogance.” Rather explains patriotism is a dialogue with your fellow citizens about what you love about your country but also how it can be improved. It is important we are must break down the problems of society, the government and be active instead of passive in our citizenry.
He goes through the United States History and mentions Abraham Lincoln, MLK Jr’s speeches, as well as some hard-hitting times that America has gone through & sometimes because due to your own arrogance such as the Korean War, Vietnam War, Challenger Explosion (shuttle), JFK & MLK Jr.’s assassinations as well as inspiring events in history.
This would be a great graphic novel for a middle grader/young adult and someone like me! I love a quick lesson in civics. In the end, I felt encouraged to continue to be less passive, more active and most importantly the power of the vote. We must work against gerrymandering as it undercuts and silences voters.
“Patriotism would require standing up to what I had seen – not standing alongside it in silence”. -
The art is in muted tones of red and blue, clearly referencing the two major political parties. Told through the lens of Rather's life, the book explores what he believes unites the US as a country.
He has some good things to say about art, science, public libraries, etc., but this is very definitely an opinion piece at its core. If you already agree with him, this book will likely confirm your beliefs. If you disagree, I doubt it will change your mind.
Still, learning is important, so it's worth a read. -
An inspirational civics lesson that illustrates (pun) the promise of its title with great clarity and purpose.
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Dan Rather has always been an fascinating figure for me. What enthralled me about this graphic memoir: its length, it's content and its inclusion of Dan Rather within its pages.
Length: This graphic novel was substantial. Usually I can knock out a graphic novel in one happy sitting, but this one took me several days of reading/sometimes rereading to digest. The structure was unique too. It flowed between graphic representations of the essays Rather has written and his own his/history he lived through. Some sections had one word titles to connect them, others were connected by emotions. Regardless, this is not a one sitting graphic novel. It requires a few sittings to read and ponder its words.
Content: Dan Rather certainly has lived through revolutionary times. I thought it was beautiful to watch him grow up alongside progress in the United States. Rather seemed to be at all the major historic events and connected to all the major players. This is to be expected as a renown journalist, but it was still neat to see history unfold along side Rather's major life events. I feel like I watched Rather grow up in the context of history.
Dan Rather had almost a cameo role in his own graphic novel. The newcaster can be found wandering the pages of his own story. I found this to be unique and inspired. Rather would inject himself at points of major reflection in his life and in his story. So we saw the character of Dan Rather and the older/wiser Dan Rather commenting on his own actions and the actions he witnessed in history. I haven't seen that done before outside of comics, so I appreciated its effect on the novel.
Overall, this graphic novel comments on American values, history and even contains Rather's views on America's future. -
I've always really admired Dan Rather - his integrity has shown through in many difficult moments in our nation's history (including recent times). I was interested in reading his book but when I saw it as a graphic novel version, I was even more intrigued. This is a wonderful story that I'd recommend for all young adults. It describes some really hard times in America's past (Vietnam War, McCarthyism, JFK's assassination, etc.) and how Americans were able to come together to overcome them. Rather also gives his unique perspective on current struggles - everything from climate change to LGBTQ rights. Because he's lived through a lot, he offers great wisdom on a lot of different issues.
The artwork for this graphic novel is simple but effective. The color scheme sticks to red, blue, black, and white; I thought it was really creative how the red and blue colors were used when discussing partisan issues. The way the panels are laid out also helps to create a flowing narrative that easily holds the reader's attention.
Although I've seen some negative reviews on Goodreads (mostly people who don't like Rather's left-leaning opinions), I thought the book's theme of what unites us was really moving and powerful. For young readers, this is a great way to introduce historical events and their context without seeming boring. I also appreciated that Rather included sections of his own story to provide a personal perspective for the reader. I'll be recommending this to young adults or anyone who wants an insightful look at our country's past and where we're headed in the future.
*Free ARC provided by Netgalley and publisher in exchange for an honest review* -
When I saw that Dan Rather’s recent book What Unites Us had been adapted to graphic novel form, I was really happy because the book was in my TBR for quite a while and it sounded like the perfect, helpful booky antidote for the current political climate. And-I’ll always choose the graphic novel!
Having yet to read the original book, I wasn’t sure how dense it was or how it was structured-I’m presuming that it’s a series of essays. This illustrated adaptation, however, is extremely wordy, so I imagine the majority of the original’s text is here. I suppose it would be an helpful book for a high school student to use as an accompaniment to their civics/history texts (are there still civics classes?) Nevertheless, dude, it’s still boring! So, for non-required reading, I was not not enthralled.
Overall-other than the chapter about libraries being the amazing cornerstone of all things-I found it pretty preachy and verbose. The cartoon of Dan in the trench coat constantly popping up to pontificate and lecture me; and then accompanying me through history while reminding me how often he was there as world’s best journalist got grating. And some times, he’s just sketched in the background, Waldo-like. Sorry, not for me. Warning: pompous pronouncements ahead. -
Title: What Unites Us
Author: Dan Rather
Genre: Memoir, Graphic Novel
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 3/9/2021
What Unites Us is a graphic novel adaptation of Dan Rather’s memoir. Rather is a journalist who began his career in the early 1960s and covered the Civil Rights Era, the Vietnam War, the AIDS crisis, the Iraq War as well as many more important events in modern history. The focus of his memoir is to discuss his life experience in relation to what he believes unites us. This is a bit of a spin on the traditional focus on what is dividing us. The graphic novel also covers many values that Dan Rather believes are shared regardless of a political party such as love of innovation. He also identifies characteristics he believes are key to our identity such as audacity. The graphic novel concludes with an afterword written after the 2020 US election.
What I loved:
•I loved Rather’s explanation of the difference between patriotism and nationalism and it deeply resonated with me. I’m often deeply critical of our country but because I want us to improve and right our wrongs. “It is important not to confuse “patriotism” with “nationalism.” As I define it, nationalism is a monologue in which you place your country in a position of moral and cultural supremacy over others. Patriotism, while deeply personal, is a dialogue with your fellow citizens, and a larger world, about not only what you love about your country but also how it can be improved.”
•I loved his discussion of the importance of dissent.
•I really appreciated his humility about what he wishes he would have done differently as a journalist particularly around the AIDS crisis and the Iraq War.
•The color palette for this graphic novel is red, white, and blue. It is done in such a visually striking way. You would think it would be corny, but it works well.
•The illustrations embody the voice of the graphic novel. They just “fit.”
What I did not like:
•I felt like the graphic novel was trying to capture everything in the memoir. I would have liked it to focus on one part of the memoir and do it in more depth throughout the novels.
•Rather discusses the subjugation of Native Americans several times but never delves into it. I would have liked more thoughtful coverage of that like some of the other important issues.
•While he offers a great amount of humility about the Iraq War, he does not really delve beyond a surface level into what journalists got wrong and what the consequences were.
•At times, I felt like the graphic novel was very text-heavy and could have relied more on the illustrations to communicate the message.
Overall, I enjoyed this graphic novel. Dan Rather introduces an interesting framework at looking at what we have in common instead of what divides us as well as a compelling exploration of patriotism and dissent.
ARC provided to me by First Second Books, via Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.
#WhatUnitesUsTheGraphicNovel #NetGalley -
At its heart, What Unites Us is a memoir of an elderly white man’s life from the casual racism of his youth to the Trump administration’s perceived nationalism. It also attempts to explain what is causing our national chaos and how we can, and should, move forward toward a kinder, more inclusive, society.
The book will quickly divide readers on party lines. If you are a Trump supporter, you will not enjoy this book. In fact, the author condemns the current nationalistic mood of the country. MAGA supporters, with their dislike of immigration, are not true patriots according to the book. Mr. Rather writes these words as Trump just begins his presidential term. I am reading and reviewing the book in December 2020, just as Trump’s term ends. Many of the book’s predictions have come horribly true. Yelling fraud, with no evidence because you lost the election, is tantamount to discarding our fundamental democratic process.
While What Unites Us occasionally seems almost preachy at times, it is an interesting read especially for a liberal high school student interested in US politics. It uses telling, rather than showing, and so it is much slower-paced than the usual graphic novel. The artwork is rather blah line drawings with two color backgrounds. For these reasons, 3 stars.
Thanks to First Second Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. -
I haven't yet read Dan Rather's book "What Unites Us," but this graphic novel version makes me want to read it. In this condensed version, Rather touches on many subjects we are currently grappling with, such as political division, voter suppression, immigration, and more, with a nostalgic eye toward the past feelings of the greatness of our country, and a sober look at our faults. The simple art (it's not flashy- no dynamic action scenes here) goes well with the text, I think, illustrating it in a quiet but effective way.
In looking at other people's reviews for this book, some felt Rather's tone was preachy; I did not. The tone feels conversational to me, that of a storyteller, and feels hopeful. Some reviewers found a left-leaning bias, but it seemed pretty balanced to me- he called out Democrats as well as Republicans, and acknowledged good, decent acts along with not-so-good, downright reprehensible things politicians have done over the years, some of them being the same people (looking at you, Reagan).
I quite enjoyed this graphic novel, and as I said before, it made me interested in reading the book that it's based on. We need to take a look at our country, see what is not working, and fix it. Acknowledge our mistakes, and work toward a better future. Maybe Mr. Rather can inspire us to do so.
#WhatUnitesUsTheGraphicNovel #NetGalley -
I have not read the book this graphic novel is based in, but after reading the graphic novel, I think I will have to read it.
This graphic novel is broken into 6 chapters with each chapter broken up into 2 or the sections based around one idea. Rather uses personal anecdotes, history, and excerpts from famous speeches and interviews to expound on and explain the importance of the idea.
Overall, this work was very inspirational. From ideas on the nature of patriotism to the importance of science and education in American culture, this book does a great job explaining the basis of what it means to be an American. Many of the sections could be read and analyzed in a government or civics course (given the language, it could be appropriate from 7th grade on) to give students an introduction to what it means to be an involved citizen.
I would recommend this graphic novel as an introduction or inspiration to others to become more civically minded and active.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. -
I loved World citizen Comic's Fault Lines in Our Constitution so when I know the adaptation of Dan Rather's What Unites Us was on the shelf, I had to grab it.
Part memoir, part fact, part opinion of today, the graphic novel makes Rather's words palpable to those distracted when reading the original. I love World Citizen Comics for giving art to words.
I enjoyed the read, but I still can't find anything uniting this country right now. The values and ethics are too different. The book's reviews says it's non-partisan. But when people show up as helping immigrants or feeding the hungry...we know it all of a sudden becomes partisan. I did like reading about his life and how he became a journalist.
Recommended for high school and up. -
I have been meaning to read the full length version of this book for a while so when I saw the graphic novel version, I jumped on it immediately. I really enjoy Dan Rather's twitter feed and a lot of his even-handed perspective can be found here. He grew up during the Great Depression and World War II and has seen so much during his reporting years to offer a nuanced look at our country and what makes it great and what makes it less than great. The graphics were enjoyable, if a little lacking in color, but I read this more for the words and in them found an increase in hope for this country. I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Dan Rather's 2017 book has been adapted into a graphic novel with excellent illustrations and updated for 2021. Rather explores different aspects of society looking at various examples from throughout American and world history to show that whole we have always disagreed about political decisions, we have also been bound together by values and belief in our nation's purpose. It may not feel like we agree on much these days - even some of those values, and especially who gets to enjoy our rights and freedoms, but as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but bends toward justice."
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This is fine, it's very sentimental about an age of America long gone and that people still hold a certain nostalgia for--"simpler times" and the values of democracy and America. It's sweet in a way, I wish I could still feel this way about American values. I appreciate what Rather is trying to do here, but I am too cynical for it at this point. There are nice ideas that I wish could be realized, but it seems like a liberal pipe dream at this point as we move closer to authoritarianism and continued imperialism, as well as severe divisions in our society and irreparable harm done and not acknowledged, it is hard to be grounded in the ideas he is speaking of here.
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DNF. It’s been years since I couldn’t finish a book; I made it about halfway before I gave up. I thought it was extremely wordy and kind of preachy. But what bothered me the most was the complete disharmony between the text and the illustrations. There were many times when a complex idea could have been explained in the illustration and it wasn’t. I’m guessing a lot of the original text was kept (I haven’t read the original book). One of the appeals of turning a book into a graphic novel is cutting the text way down and filling it with drawings to illustrate the concepts. This book didn’t do the job.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. -
Very personal story illustrating some of the key qualities that (should) unite us, not just as Americans, but as humans -- from an excellent former reporter/journalist/news anchor. The story interweaves personal stories of his childhood and career with major historical events he lived through (and reported on). I loved the graphic approach -- because of the way it is broken up with illustrations, it slowed down the pace of my reading and made it seem more like he was talking to me. I did compare it to the full narrative version, and thought they did a great job of abridging it without losing much.
